Controlling device for motor vehicles



Sept. 6,1927, 1,641,779

I J. H. PACE CONTROLLING DEVICE} FOR MOTOR VEHICLES I Filed Jan. 14,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 6 1927.

J. H. PACE CONTROLLING, DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES fil ed'JamM, 1927 2Sheets-Sneet 2 Irevenfir; JfZiIPace,

W v My.

' such foot control may Patented Sept. 6, 1927. p

JAMES Anson race, or scorrnann, camera.-

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.-

' Application filed January 14, 1927. Serial No. 161,173.

This invention relates to controlling de vices for motor vehicles ofthetype where the controls are located on' the steering wheel, theinvention being an improvement upon the gas controlling mechanism dis--closed in U. S, Letters Patent-No. 1,556,302,

granted to me Octoberfi, 1925. As covered by said prior patent, thepresent invention is characterized bya gas condoes. not affect the gassupply, but when moved by the thumb independently of'the movement of thesteering wheel, controls such supply.

The advantages f the device referred to. comprise safetyandsa'tisfactory controhof the gas supply, which is secured by the thumbof either hand, in any position of the rim of the steering wheel whilethe remainder of the same hand maintains a firm grip on thesteering-wheel in guiding the car.- controlling the gas supply, a footcontrol may be us'ed, if desired,-although such is not necessary. Thepresence, however, of be of advantage in that it gives confidence to thedriver, and provides a secondary control with which he is alreadyfamiliar while learning to oper- .ate the improved hand control.

In addition to the foregoing advantages, the hand control referred torelieves the driver of the tiresome strain due to pressing down u'pon'afoot lever for a long period free for exclusive use for instantapplication of the foot brake, obviates thedanger of mistaking the footthrottle control or the brake which results sometimes in acci-.

dents, relieves the motor from shocks trans mitted to it control pedal,-whenriding over rougxh roads, and permits the supply of gas to-t e motorwith the utmost precision and uniformity, regardless of the roughness ofthe ring which, when moved with the steering wheel in the latters rotarymovements In conjunction with this means for from the foot through thefoot.

road being traveled. Furthermore, the said. h and control device remainsin the position of adjustment to which it has been moved and does notspring 'back like a foot control lever, which increases the reliability.2 of the control of the hand operated device. The. present embodiment ofthe invention dispenses with that constructionin which a rod passesthrough the steeringpost, and is $5 connected by means-of a levermounted on the spoke of a steering wheel to near a single point of thecircumference. of the control ring,'said rod and lever being subjectedto the pressure of the carbureter spring, and serving to hold thecontrol ring against the steering post at a single point. Under thepresent invention the pressure of the carbureter'spring is applied tothe con--'- trolling ring simultaneously at diametrically oppositepoints, thereby equalizing the pres sure of the ring against thesteeringwheel, which is a better mechanical construction than the formerone, as 'will be obvious. As illustrated, such equalized pressure isapplied through oppositely extending rollers, connected with a tubepassing through the steering wheel post. and having a connection at itslower end with a lever or other device,

f r operating the carbureter valve. Reliability of operation,equalization of pres-' sures, andrimproved efficiency of control, follow from these features. Another improved feature is comprised in means,whereby the operator may change 'fromhandcontrol, to foot control of thegas supply when desired, andlwit-hout re leasing the pressure which'isordinarily exerted through the gas controlling tube and rollers,heretofore referred to, to the control ling ring for pressing the latteragainstthe steering wheel. The instrumentality referred to includes aspring-pressed rod, having connection with a roller which bears upon amember connected with the lower end portion of the gas control tube.Release of. the spring-pressed rod from a ,positionin which the rolleris prevented from hearing against said member, results in theapplication of a yielding pressure to the member, when the lever whichis connected to the carbureter, and ordinarily .is spring-pressedagainst the aforesaid member, is lifted from the-member through theoperation of the pedal when the latter opens the throttle as no theresult of fdot pressure. In addition to the foregoing features theinvention includes V additional controls throughtelescopic tubesoperated by suitable levers which in which I .Fig. 1 is a plan view of aportion of a steering wheel with the invention'applied;

Fig; 2 is a transverse sectional View, enlarged, as compared with Fig.1, Sl1OWi ng one of. the-operating cams and the hub. of the controlring;

' Fig. 3 is a side view of the top portion of the gas control tube andits roller member; Fig.4 is a side elevation of the limit post disk; r qf Fig. 5 is a plan view of .the gas control tube roller member;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the tube holder;

Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in transverse section of the steeringwheel and controls, said view showing also, in elevation, the

,lower end portion of the controlling tubes,

with the means for permitting change to outside casing foot control; v

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 8-8 Fig. 7 with certainparts removed;

' Fig. 9 is a plan view of the upper end of the gas control tube;

Fig. 10. is a side elevation thereof; and Fig. 11 is a schematicfragmentar view in side elevation, showingha portion-o the control ringwith its limiting stop.

Referring to Figs. '1- and .7, a steering wheel2, havin the usualspokes, 4, has an cured to the steering wheel by a nut 10 threaded uponthe upper end-of the tubular post 8.

by grooves 16, preferably formed integral with all of the spokes4exceptone, in which latter I may employ a plate 17, detachablysecuredto the spoke by a screw 17, the for-- wardedge of said plate beingprovided with an offset portion 17 to form with the under surface of thespoke, a groove, like the other" grooves 16.

The controlling-ring 12 may be provided with a plurality. ofproj'ections20, whereby the ring may be better engaged by the optheaccompanying drawings,

within which is located the steering post 8. The steeringpost is seerators hand, and said ring is furthermore "provided with a-thumb piece21 for manipu lation. The controlling ring is providedwith a bar 24 fromwhich rises a cylindrical .hub, 25 which latter is provided with aninnerannular edge 26, and rising therefrom are two spiral cams 27, 27,which rise from low points to diametrically opposite high points 27*.concentrically arranged with n the-steering post 8 is the. gas controltube 3Q which is provided at its upper end with diametrically extendinglugs 31, which latter are adapted to be seated in notches 32 formed-inthe roller member 34.. The roller member-carries oppositely extendingspindles' 36, upon the outer end portions of which are Journalledantifriction rollers 35,

'which are seated upon the cams 27. The

roller member is furthermore provided with rollers. 38, alsojournalledupon the spindles 36, but arranged inside of the rollers 35.

The rollers 38 bear against the limit posts 5 i 40, which latter projectupwards rigidly from a limit post disk 41. This limit post disk isprovided with a central aperture 41*, and said disk is located on top ofthe steering Wheel hub, and'ha's' a downwardly projecting pin 45which'enters a hole in the hub, and prevents rotation ofthe disk;- Theaperture 41 surrounds the steering post 8, as shown in.Fig. 7, and thenut 10 which is threaded to the steering post clamps the limit post disktothe-hub.

The roller member 34 is provided with two diametrically disposedopenings 46;

which are arranged about 90'degrees apart from the open notches 32 andin assembling the parts the lugs31 on the tube 30 are first passedupward through thelopenings 46 and are-then turned relatively tothemember34, and the lugs are caused toenter the notches 32 in themember,-thus firmly locking the gas control tube and the roller carryingmember together.

When the gas control tube with the roller shown in Figs. 1 and 7, therollers 35 rest on the lowest parts of the spiral cal-n surfaces 27, thethrottle controlling the flow of gas from the carburetor to the motor isclosed. At the lower end of the gas controlling tube 3Q, the mechanismconnecting said tube with the carburetoris shown, see'Figs. 7 and 8. Asplit collar 47 having a beveled upper face 48, isclamped to the tube 30by a screw the 'split portionof the collar, said screw being preferablyalsoreceived in a groove formed in the tube 30,'whereby the collar isprevented from moving longitudinally relain 'member thusmounted on itsupper end is" i I placed in the hole in the steering post, as 'f' '65which enters a threaded aperture through tively to said tube. A lever50, fulcrumed at 51 upon ail-extension of the worm gear eas ing 52carries 'atits'inn'er forked ends 50 1'ollers1'53 which are caused tobear jdown j and exert pressure upon the collar 47 through the usualcarbureter spring acting upon the other arm, 54, of the lever 50.

The tension of the carbureter spring acting through the parts describedpresses the gas controlling tube downward bringing with it the rollermember 34, so that the sure of the carbureter. spring exerted throughouter rollers are caused topress against the cams 27. When the pressureof the operators thumb is exerted against the thumb piece 21, 1, or thethumb grips 20 on the upper surface ofthe control ring, rotary movementis thus imparted to the cams which causes the roller member carrying thetube 30 to rise, the rollers 38 at such time bearing against and beingguided by the the lever 50'and collar 47, The control of the supply ofgas to the motor is by the means described eifected merely throughmovement of the controllingring, in either direction by' pressureapplied by the op- ;erators thumb, such movements being independent ofthe steering movements of the steering wheel 2. The controlling ring,

being freely rotatable upon the steering wheel to efiect opening andclosingmovemerits of the throttle, is through the action of thecarbureter-sprin'g, pressedyieldingly downward againstthespokesof thesteering" wheel, and'the' rollers 35am yieldingly maintained bysaidspring-' 1n-engagement with the cam surfaces of the cam 27.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 11, the controlling" ring 12 has secured to itsunder surface a downwardl projecting finger, or fingers 56 which are entangularly from'a plate 58 secured to the under surface of the ring by .ascrew, or otherwise. .The finger 56 acts as a stop for the. controlring, to limit y coming} in contact with one of the spokes 4 of the.

the rotary movement of-*the ring steering wheel, as will appear fromFig. 7. The control ring may. be provided with a plurality of holes ,oneach side of the stop -with filling screws placed therein until needed,so' that'thestop or stops may be supported at different posit1ons,1asdesired on the control ring, the stops being held in place by screws andprovided with any suit-' able cushionin device to absorb the shock of'contact .wit .the spoke.

The worm gear-casing 52 is herein shown aslprovided with projectingperforated portions 6l which form guides for a reciprocable rod 63 whichhas clamped to its lower end a block 64, carrying a roller' 49 whichlatter may be caused to bear upon the upper beveled face 48 of thecollar 47. The s iral spring 66 surrounding the rod 63, is con nedbetween the upper perforated portion 61 and a pin'carried by the rod,and tends to exert a pressure on the rod and block 64, and thence on thecollar 47 This device acts to maintain pressureon the rollers 35 andhold them against the faceof the ,cam 27, when such downward pressurewhich is normally maintained by the carbureter spring, is released asthe result of pressure exerted on the foot control pedal, for thecarbureter. The, rod 63' is, provided at its upper end with a button 68,and said rod has a pawl.

point 70 to engage a tooth 71 projecting rom thev edge of an openingthrough the instrument board B, through which opening the rod 63'passes.

.When, by the knob 68, the rod 63 is pulled upwardly and laterally topermit the pawl point 70 to engage the tooth, the roller 49 will be outof engagement with the collar, 1 and the'rollers 53 of the lever 50 onlywill bear against the'collar, said rollers being free to travelover theupper edge of the collar during the turning of the steering post andtube 30, without interference with the reciprocating movements of thetube incident to the as control. When the foot throttle control is beingused and the rollers 53 are removed from their pressure-engagement withthe collar 47," the operator may release the pawl 70 from engagementwith the tooth 71, thus permitting the roller'49 to be spring-pressedagainst the collar, and

substituted for the pressure which was formerly applied thereto by therollers 53.

The casing 52 is provided with downwardlyprojecting portions 74 whichact as guides for the. block 64 and hold the latter and the rod 60 fromturning during the turning movements of the collar 47.

As herein shown, additional controls, for the lights and the spark arecarried by the steering post, and in the present case a tube 7 5,arranged concentrically within the tube 30, has connection with a lever7 6 at its lower end for controlling the lights, the upper end of thetube 7 5 being provided with a lever 77, for movement by the thumb-ofthe operator. concentrically arranged with in the tube? 5 is stillanother tube 78 which through a lever 80.at its lower' end is connectedsuitably with devices for controlling the spark, the upper end of thistube having connected thereto a lever 82 which may be manipulated by thethumb of the operator. A wire 83;,isfshown extending from thelower'endpfithe innermost tube for conveying current to the horn, andcurrent through ends of the tubes 75, 78, said platebeing furthermoreprovided with holes 88 which pass over the reduced portions 89, of thepostsflO. The plate 86 thus maintains rigidly the upper ends of theconcentric tubes in position, and prevents them frombein'g bent ordiverted out of a straight line, and

thus interfering with the, free reciprocating stood without furtherdescription, and the movements of the gas control tube 30; v

It will be observed that the means for communicating pressure 'from thecarbureter spring to the controlling ring, through the roller member 3%and rollers 35 equalize the downward pressure of said ring on the.

spokes of the stecri' e wheel. Such equalization. of pressure of course1s accomplished through the two-part bar 24 connecting the hub25 withthe ring. This is an important featurefand is an improvement over theconstructionv shown in my prior patent.

From the foregoing it is believed that the operation of the variousparts of my improved controlling mechanism will be underright isreserved to make such changes in the size or proportions of the parts,or in the details of the construction illustrated as are contemplated bythe invention, and which would not depart from the terms of thefollowing claims. I claim:

1. In a controlling device for motor vehicles, comprising in combinationwith the steering wheel ofthe vehicle, of a controlling ring. rotatablysupported on said steering wheel, and connections whereby said,

ringcontrols'the gas supply, said connections .inc ding means forapplying. pressure yieldably to force said ring against the spokes ofthe steering wheel at diametrically opposite points.

2. A controlling mechanism comprising in combination with the steeringwheelof the said ring, a gas control tube mounted for reciprocation inthe steeringpost, a roller carrying member connected with said tube, androllers on said member arranged to en gage said cams. I

4, A controlling device formotor vehicle's comprising the combinationwith a steerin wheel, 01 a ring mounted within said whee for motor we 1and supported rotatably upon the spokes thereof, oppositely disposedspiral cams sup ported by said ring, a gas control tube mounted forreciprocation in *the steering post and havingconnection with thecarbureter controlling lever, a roller-carrying member connected withsaid tube, diametrically disposed rollers on said-member ar' ranged forengagement withvsaid cams, and ,means for guiding said rollersvertically as the latter rise and fall on the cams to reciprocate thegas control tube.

5. A controlling mechanism for motor ve-.

hicles, comprising in combination with the steering wheel of thevehicle, of a ring sup ported on said wheel for turning'-movements,spiral cams carried by said ring, rollers mounted on said cams,:agascontrol tube mounted 'for' reciprocating movements in the steering postand having diametrically disposed lugs, a roller member supporting saidrollers having an'opening'to receive the end of the tube, slots onopposite sides of the openingand-notches spaced from said slots, thelugs arranged for passing through theslots and engagement with thenotches, whereby said tube may be'inserted in and connected with saidmember.

1 6. A controlling mechanism-for motor -v e-- hicles, comprising incombination with a Steering wheel of the vehicle, of a ring supportedfor turning movements within said.

wheel, a gascontrol tube, connections between said'tube' and ring forreciprocating the tube, yielding means, including a lever the usual footoperated throttle control is depressed, for pressing said ring againstthe spokes of the steering wheel, and independent means arranged to hebrought into action to substitute the first mentioned means, and therebycontinue the. application of yielding pressureto the ring.

7 i A controlling mechanism for motor ve- I00 normally under pressure ofthe carbureter spring and whose pressure is relieved when hicles,comprising in combination with the steering wheel of the vehicle, ofaring supported for turning movements within said wheel, ,camscarried-by the ring, a .gascontrol tube'mounted inthe steering post, a

member on said tube having rollers engagingsaid came, arotarymember-carried by said tube, a gas controllmglever havingconnection with the usual carbureter spring and provided with a roll topress against.

said rotary member and through the tube and rollers to press said ringagainst the spokesof'th'e steering wheel, and a spring-' pressed rollerarranged normally] out of engagement with said rotary member, butconstructed to be released to engage said meme berand substitute thepressure of the usual carbureter spring during'the' operation of a gasfoot control.

p 8. A controlling mechanism for motor ve .hioles, comprising incombination withthe and arranged to control the lights, and

steering wheel of a vehicle, of a ring mountedwithin said wheel andsupported rotatably upon thespokes thereof, a controlling tube mountedin the steering post, operative connections between said ring and tubefor reciprocating the latter, and a plurality of additional tubesconcentrically arranged.

relative to the first-named tube, said-additional tubes constructed tocontrol such functions as the spark and lights, and operating means forthe control'tubes carried.

by the steering wheel.

9. A controlling mechanism for motor vehicles, comprising in combinationwith the steering wheel of a vehicle, of a ring mounted withinsaid'wheel and supported rotat-- ablyupon the spokes "thereof, a. gascontrol-' ling tube mounted for reciprocating movements in the steeringpost',.means'for im-- parting said movements to the tube through saidring, a rotatable tube supportedin' said steering post concentricallywithsaid firstmentioned tube and connections from said rotating tube tothe spark for adjusting the latter, and a tube concentrically arrangedwithin the steering post for rotation therein means located on thesteering wheel for independently operating said rotatable tubes.

10.. A controlling mechanism for motor' vehicles,;c0mprising incombinatlon w th the steeringwheel of a vehicle, of a ring supportedupon the spokes of said steering wheel for rotation independently of therotation ofsaid wheel, a housing. supported I by said ring, spiral cams.within said housing, a ,controllin' tube mounted to reciprocate withinthe steeringpost, a transverse member connected with said tube andhaving anti-friction rolls engaging said cams,

other anti-friction rolls carried,v by said member, limit postssupported by, the steer ing wheel and engaged by thelast mentioned.

last named tubes being arranged for controlling extra. functions, suchas the spark I andlighta. w

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my7h'and this 3rd dayof-January, A. 192,-

Jams H. PAGE;

